Measuring spout for dry substances



Feb. 15, 1966 K. M. HUTCHERSON 3,235,139

MEASURING SPOUT FOR DRY SUBSTANCES Filed Jan. 20, 1964 Fiji FIG. 1 FIG.2

FIG. 5

INVENTOR,

KENNETH M. HUTCHERSON ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,235,139 MEASURINGSPOUT FOR DRY SUBSTANCES Kenneth M. Hutcherson, 5012 Scott, Houston,Tex. Filed Jan. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 338,939 2 Claims- (Cl. 222-364) Thisinvention relates to containers for dry comminuted substances, and moreparticularly relates to measuring spouts for use with packagescontaining dry comminuted or powdered substances.

There are many commodities in frequent and general use in the modernhome, which are used in dry powdered or comminuted form, and which areintended to be utilized in preselected portions. Such substances includeflour, salt, sugar, soaps and soap powders, detergents, etc. Because oftheir dry state, they are generally packaged and sold in paper orcardboard boxes. Furthermore, such boxes are frequently provided withpouring spouts so that the contents of the package may be convenientlyremoved from the package. If measuring containers are readily available,or if the substances are not intended to be used in criticalproportions, then such pouring spouts adequately fulfill the purposesfor which they are intended. However, in many cases, it is desirablethat the contents of the package be utilized in critical proportions,and therefore it is necessary to pour the contents into a meas' uringvehicle, such as a cup, before the measured portions can be used.

For example, dry soap powders and detergents are intended to be used incertain proportions which, though not extremely critical, are desirablymaintained within reasonable limits. This is particularly true in thecase of detergents intended to be used in automatic washing machines,since an excessive use of a detergent will produce excessive suds andthereby hamper the washing operation, as well as cause unnecessarywaste. However, soap powders and detergents are commonly sold in thelarge economy size, and these large size packages are diflicult tohandle. Furthermore, it is often inconvenient to the user to pour thecontents of the package into the measuring cup, before transferring thecontents of the cup into a washing machine.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide moreeffective means for dispensing dry powdered or comminuted substances,such as soap powders and detergents, from the packages in which they aresold.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a measuringspout for a package of dry powdered or comminuted substances, whichmeasuring spout will withdraw a preselected volume of such substances,as well as provide convenient means for dispensing the substances, andfor sealing the package when closed.

The advantages of the present invention are preferably obtained with ameasuring spout formed in the manner of a triangular container, whichautomatically fills itself when retracted into the package, and whichprevents further Withdrawal of such substances when the spout is openedto dispense such substances.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will beapparent from the following detailed description, wherein reference ismade to the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 shows a package which includes one form of the presentinvention.

FIGURE 2 shows a package adapted to accommodate one form of the presentinvention.

FIGURE 3 shows a view of one form of measuring spout.

FIGURE 4 shows a view of another form of the measuring spout depicted inFIGURE 3.

3,235,139 Patented Feb. 15, 1966 FIGURE 5 shows another view of themeasuring spout depicted in FIGURE 4.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there may be seen a typical package 2suitable for dry commodities, such package 2 having a pouring spout 1adapted according to one form of the present invention. As shown, thepackage 2 is preferably preformed to accept the pouring spout 1 in amanner such that one of the narrower sides 8 is cut as shown in FIGURE2. The side 8 is cut in the manner of a flap 3 to form a hinge-likesupport for the spout 1 depicted in FIGURE 1.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, there may be seen one form of the pouringspout 1, wherein the facing side 12 is formed of a folded or doubledstrip of metal or plastic, such doubled strip being suitable to fit overthe flap 3 of the package 2. FIGURE 4 shows another form of the spout 1,wherein the facing side 12 is not doubled, but rather is provided withtwo incised projections 21 which penetrate through, and then fold backagainst the flap 3 so as to fasten the spout 1 tightly to the flap 3.

When the spout 1 is moved into the retracted position within the package2, the facing side 12 of the spout 1, together with the flap 3, servesto seal the package 2 shut against accidental or inadvertent spillage ofthe contents of the package 2. Accordingly, if the spout 1 is locatednear or at the bottom of the package 2, as depicted in FIGURE 1, thenthe spout 1 will automatically fill when moved to the retractedpositionprovided there is a sulficient amount of the dry substanceswithin the package 2, or provided the spout 1 is located near the bottomof the package 2. If the spout 1 is located near the top of the package2, or if the level of the contents of the package 2 is even with orbelow the mouth 10 of the spout 1, then it may be necessary to tilt thepackage 2 in order that the contents of the package 2 will flow into thespout 1.

When the spout 1 is moved to its extended position, the rear surface 14of the spout 1 is automatically positioned so as to close the package 2against inadvertent spillage. Moreover, it may be desirable to form therear surface 14 in the manner shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, wherein the rearsurface 14 includes an extension 16 partly covering the mouth 10 of thespout 1. This extension 16 or cover acts to prevent spillage during theinterval when the spout 1 is being moved between its retracted andextended positions, and particularly when the spout 1 is intermediatelypositioned between these two extremes.

When the spout 1 is retracted, it is necessarily urged against thecontents of the package 2. Although the resistance offered by thecontents is usually nowhere near enough to effectively obstruct closureof the spout 1, it is desirable that the spout 1 be relatively narrow soas to minimize this resistance. That is, the width of the facing andrear surfaces 12 and 14 should be reduced as much as possible, and theangle between these surfaces should be made as great as possible,commensurate with the feature that the spout 1 be formed to withdraw apreselected amount of the contents of the package 2. This preselectedamount may be any quantity, such as a cup full, one-half cup full, etc.

The upper edge of the facing surface 1?. may be provided with a smalltip 18, which preferably projects above the upper cut in the package 2as depicted in FIGURE 2. This tip 18 will then provide means for easilyextending the spout 1 from its retracted position. The arcuately shapedsides of the spout 1 are preferably provided with outwardly-extendingprojections 6, which catch against the side cuts in the package 2depicted in FIGURE 2, and which thus tend to prevent the spout 1 fromfalling open accidentally.

Numerous other variations and modifications may obfigures of theaccompanying drawing as illustrative only and are not intended to limitthe scope of the'invention.

What is claimed is: 1. Container means for holding dry comminutedsubstances, said container means comprising Wall meanshaving a pivotallymovable fiap section,

and a measuring spout pivotally movable with said flap section, saidspout including a pair of arcuately-shaped and spaced-apart parallelside members, a rear member adjacent said side members, and a frontmember connected with said rear member at the apexes' of saidside'members and outwardly and snugly folded over said Help section ofsaid wall means so that said measuring spout moves in conjunction Withsaid flap section of said Wall means.

2. The container means described in claim 1, wherein the rear member ofsaid measuring spout includes a section extending partially over saidspout and toward said front member to partially obstruct gravity flow ofsaid substances into said spout.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,619,315 3/1927Ricketts ZZZ-$64 1,967,448 7/1934 Olson 222364 2,019,406 10/1935 Garfein222-364 2,205,129 6/1940 Barnett 222 364 2,943,769 7/1960 Klausmann etal 222364 LOUIS I. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

1. CONTAINER MEANS FOR HOLDING DRY COMMINUTED SUBSTANCES, SAID CONTAINERMEANS COMPRISING WALL MEANS HAVING A PIVOTALLY MOVABLE FLAP SECTION, ANDA MEASURING SPOUT PIVOTALLY MOVABLE WITH SAID FLAP SECTION, SAID SPOUTINCLUDING A PAIR OF ARCUATELY-SHAPED AND SPACED-APART PARALLEL SIDEMEMBERS, A REAR MEMBER ADJACENT SAID SIDE MEMBERS, AND A FRONT MEMBERCONNECTED WITH SAID REAR MEMBER AT THE APEXES OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS ANDOUTWARDLY AND SNUGLY FOLDED OVER SAID FLAP SECTION OF SAID WALL MEANS SOTHAT SAID MEASURING SPOUT MOVES IN CONJUNCTION WITH SAID FLAP SECTION OFSAID WALL MEANS.